Just a small town boy, just a city girl
by DefyingGravity1103
Summary: In order to teach her a lesson, her dads force Rachel to spend her summer holidays at their friend Carole's who lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say that Rachel isn't exactly thrilled but then she gets to know Carole's son Finn and the two can't help but fall for each other. However, old problems and new obstacles make the road to love rocky and tiring... / AU
1. Chapter 1

**Hello guys, I'm back :) I finally feel ready to start writing fanfiction again. In my opinion it's a beautiful way to remember Cory and to keep him alive in our hearts and that's why I figured I'd try it again.**

**I started a new story because I felt like I needed a fresh start. I don't know whether I'll continue my other story but for now I needed to start something new. I only have an abstract idea what will happen in this story but I can already promise that neither Finn nor Rachel will die because I think right now we need something positive, we're already sad enough :) **

**So I hope you guys enjoy this and I dedicate this story to Cory and to Lea. Cory, you'll be loved forever andyou're deeply missed and Lea, just stay strong. **

**I don't own Glee and English isn't my native language. **

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Rachel stood in the driveway of the old farmhouse and felt like crying. The sweat dripped from every pore of her body and breathing was difficult due to the humid air. It was hot, at least 100 degrees and she felt listless, tired and sick. She was used to summer heat because summer in New York was usually very hot but this, this was brutal. It brought a completely new definition to the term hot. She already hated this place, this lonely farm in the middle of nowhere. Nebraska, to be exact. There were golden cornfields as far as Rachel could see but the only building or sign of civilization was the old farmhouse right in front of her. It was a typical farmhouse made out of reddish brown wood with white window frames and a huge veranda, decorated with various kinds of flowers. Actually it looked quite nice but Rachel simply didn't have a sense for that kind of beauty. She was New York born and raised and she loved the busy, always moving city. She groaned in frustration and snorted angrily. This was the fault of her dads. They had forced her to come here but she comforted herself with the thought that within three months she'd be able to return home. Three endless months of summer holidays and then she'd go back into her old life. But for now she had to find a way to survive here and that just because her dads thought that she had went off the rails. Deep inside she knew that they were right and that they wanted nothing but the best for her but she'd never admit this to herself. If only she'd been more careful! Then she'd sit at home right now and could spend her summer holidays with all her friends in New York and she could actually enjoy it. But no, she'd been too careless. With a sigh Rachel remembered the evening when all of this misery had started…

* * *

_There were around 50 people in the living room of her apartment and she didn't know at least half of them. And 99% were utterly and completely drunk. It was 2 AM and Rachel was the only person who was still sober. The rest laid either on the couch or the floor and most of them were fast asleep. A suspicious smell of vomit floated through the apartment and Rachel saw her best friend Santana sitting on the floor and murmuring weird stuff in Spanish. Oh, how she regretted this party. It was the first party in her apartment and it was definitely the last one as well. One of her friends, Puck, had talked her into it because somehow he had found out that her dads were on a business trip this weekend and today was the last day of school so he had told her that it was the perfect opportunity to throw her first house party. Well, originally it was only supposed to be a small party among friends but somehow everyone had brought a few people along and the thing had gotten out of control. Rachel had hoped that maybe her friends would be a little bit more responsible and wouldn't drink as much alcohol as they normally did but of course they were just as drunk as every other time. Whenever her friends had a party they got completely wasted so why should it be different this time? Rachel used to be like this as well but after a certain night in the East Village she had stopped. Ever since _the event_ she didn't dare touching alcohol anymore. _

_"Rachie?" Rachel heard someone lulling. She turned around and looked at Santana who stared at her with big, glassy eyes._

_"Hm?" Rachel asked._

_"I feel so sick" she wailed and Rachel saw tears forming in her eyes._

_"Do you have to puke?" she asked fearfully and prayed that Santana wouldn't barf all over her living room floor._

_"I don't know but…" the Latina said but then her face wrinkled and she started gagging._

_"No, Sanny, don't" Rachel exclaimed and frantically looked for some sort of bucket but it was too late. There was a foul-smelling puddle of vomit in front of Santana and the girl cried like a baby._

_"Rachie, help" she whimpered and a sob escaped her throat. Normally Santana wasn't the one to cry but when she was drunk she was always extremely whiny._

_"Shh" Rachel said and bent down to her friend. She wrapped both of her arms around the shivering Latina and whispered words of comfort into her ear. It didn't take long and Santana was asleep. Rachel grabbed a pillow and lowered her head to it, then she got a mop and bucket and cleaned up the vomit. It really was disgusting and the girl had to hold her breath not to get sick herself. Luckily the floor was tiled. After she was done with the cleaning up she sat down on the sofa in between two sleeping guys she didn't know and buried her face in her hands. The living room looked like a battlefield, empty bottles laid around everywhere and food was spread all over the floor, and she'd have to clean this up tomorrow all by herself. She sat there for a while and felt her eyelids getting heavy. With a sigh she closed her eyes but before she could fall asleep she heard a sharp gasp and then a yell. Rachel leaped up from the couch and when she caught sight of the door she wanted to die just then and there. Her two dads, Hiram and Leroy Berry, stood in the doorframe, both of their mouths wide open. Panic rushed through her body when she realized that her parents just witnessed an immense booze-up in their own living room._

_"Oh, sweet, merciful Barbra" her daddy Hiram gasped and clasped both of his hands over his mouth. Leroy's expression soon turned from shock to something Rachel could only describe as rage._

_"Rachel Barbra Berry, please tell me that I'm dreaming" he screamed and Rachel watched his face turn into different shades of red. He looked as if he was ready to kill her._

_"I'm so, so sorry, dad, daddy…" Rachel made a pathetic attempt to save herself but Leroy interrupted her quickly._

_"In your room. Now. We'll talk about this tomorrow but I swear to God that this is going to have severe consequences, young lady" he yelled and Rachel winced. Several people in the room looked at her with a puzzled expression but they were way too drunk to actually notice what was going on. Rachel felt the tears welling up in her eyes and with a sob she ran up across the hallway and into her room. She threw herself on the bed and buried her face in the pillows. A feeling of guilt washed over her because she had disappointed her dads. They had trusted her enough to let her alone at home for a few days, she was 17 after all, but she had let them down. She felt so silly and naive and she didn't know why had agreed to this stupid party in the first place. Her body trembled as she cried herself to sleep that night._

_The next day Rachel walked into the living room and her knees felt weak. The living room was mostly cleaned up, just a few bottles laid around on the floor and a weak trace of disgusting smell still hovered in the air. She felt hot and cold at the same time and goose bumps rushed all over her back. She swallowed thickly and then looked at her dads. She was a bit surprised when she saw their faces because honestly she had expected anger but the only thing she saw was disappointment mixed with worry all over their faces and somehow this was even worse._

_"Sit down" Hiram finally said and pointed at the couch. With heavy steps Rachel walked over and sat down. There was silence for a while and Rachel twisted her hands in her lap, too embarrassed to actually look at her fathers.  
"Rachel, we're really worried. We thought that you didn't drink anymore ever since _the event_ but…" Leroy started._

_"I didn't drink. Not a single sip of alcohol" Rachel said defensively but her dads didn't seem to hear that._

_"Your father and I think that I'd be good for you to take a break from everything" Hiram said and looked at his husband who nodded in agreement._

_"What do you mean?" Rachel asked suspiciously._

_"You've changed a lot, Rachel. Don't get us wrong, we know that girls your age grow up but we think that you develop into the wrong direction. I mean, two years ago you were our little girl. You were nice, had amazing grades and you were a perfect daughter. But ever since you started High School you're different. You changed the plaid skirts for black jeans and see-through tops, penny loafers for high heels and we all here know that before _the event_ you did a lot of partying and you drank a lot" Hiram carried on and looked at her sternly._

_"We just think that you need a different surrounding for a while and that's why you're going to spend your summer holidays at my friend Carole's" Leroy said._

_"What does that mean?" Rachel asked. She had a horrible presumption and prayed that she was mistaken._

_"Carole and her son Finn live on a farm in Nebraska" Hiram said and Rachel's face fell. A farm. She was supposed to spend her summer holidays on a farm?_

_"No way on earth" she protested and crossed her arms in front of her chest._

_"Rachel, that's not up for discussion. We already asked Carole and she's willing to let you stay with them and everything's already organized" Leroy said._

_"But…" Rachel said weakly.  
"No buts. You're leaving tomorrow" Hiram said and Rachel knew that she didn't have a chance to talk herself out of it._

* * *

Deep down she knew that she deserved it but she wasn't thrilled to spend her holidays here nonetheless. Carol was probably an old hag who lived under a rock and Finn could be a lame ass country boy who didn't even know what a cell phone was. With the back of her hand she wiped her forehead to get rid of the sweat and then she dragged her suitcase up the driveway. She crossed the veranda and then she breathed a few times right before she rang the door bell.

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**Continue or not? Please review and let me know what you think **

**P.S.: At some point in the story you'll find out what "the event" is :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, here's chapter 2! **

**By the way, I don't know how frequent the updates for this story will be but I'll try my best not to make you wait for too long **

**Enjoy!**

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The hot air burned in his lungs, breathing was hard and he was sweating practically everywhere but Finn couldn't care less. The wind whizzed around his ears and he felt the steady gallop of the horse he was riding. It was an amazing feeling. He looked down and saw the golden cornfield sliding away beneath the hooves of the horse. A wide, happy grin spread all over his face. When he lifted his head again he could see the silhouette of their farm and the horse whinnied before it started to gallop even faster.

"Bennie, don't freak out" Finn said with a smile and tugged at the reins gently. Bennie immediately reduced his speed and Finn patted his neck appreciatively. He and his horse just got along perfectly. Bennie was a very tall, 14 year old, black stallion and he and his mother had bought him when he had been just a foal. He was the first horse Finn had ever ridden and over the years he had become his best buddy. Sure, Finn was also friends with several boys he knew from school but these were only loose friendships and he had always preferred the company of horses. Bennie was a thoroughbred but he had a very good character, he was benevolent and unlike most thoroughbreds he was pretty chill about everything. But that didn't mean that he was a stick in the mud. It always surprised Finn how fast he actually was and how vivacious.

In a calm canter Finn rode up a small hill and then tugged at the reins to signalize Bennie to stop. Finn jumped off of the horse and Bennie huffed, breathing heavily. It was too hot, even for a horse, but that was the way summer was in Nebraska. Hot. From the tip of the hill Finn could overview their entire property. Behind their house they had a huge backyard with several stables where they kept their horses. Then there was a barn where hay and straw where stored and where they had their machines, tractors and stuff, and of course their granary. The house was surrounded by several hectares of cornfields. In summer they where golden and shone brightly and Finn couldn't imagine a more beautiful place to live. His parents had bought the farm when he had been only a baby and it had been their dream but soon after they had actually moved in, his father had died in a car accident. Finn could barely remember him but he knew that his mother still missed him every day and he really admired her for being able to raise him and to maintain the farm all by herself. Speaking of mother…in this moment, Carole Hudson stepped out of the backdoor of the house and Finn saw how she placed her hands on her hips.

"Finn Hudson!" she yelled and even though Finn was at least 100 meters away, he could hear it clearly.

"Sorry, mom. I'm coming" he yelled back and grinned. Due to the distance he couldn't see whether his mother was smiling and shaking her head or whether she was really upset. But he smiled nonetheless because his mom just couldn't stay mad at him for too long.

"Good, because Rachel will be here soon" she yelled back and suddenly Finn's smile faltered. Rachel. The girl who was going to spend the upcoming three months with them and who Finn already disliked. Yesterday his mother had dropped the bomb on him and for some bizarre reason she was thrilled to have this girl here. Well, Finn wasn't. He didn't know much about her but apparently she was a "though case" and the daughter of his mother's friends, the Berrys, who lived in New York. Finn didn't know why she had to stay with them but his mother had told him that she had caused some trouble at home and that her parents wanted to teach her a lesson. He could already imagine what kind of girl she was. A bitch with fake blonde hair and about three kilos of make-up smeared all over her face who wouldn't lift a finger to help them around here and would complain about everything. With a heavy sigh Finn jumped back on the horse and nudged it forward, galloping down the hill.

* * *

Rachel stood at the doorstep of the house and was annoyed. How long did it take to answer a damn door? She pulled her dark brown curls back into a ponytail and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She had a new text from Santana.

_Hey Rachie, how's the living hell?_ she wrote and Rachel had to smile. Living hell was pretty accurate.

_Haven't even met them yet and I already wanna go back home_ she answered. The response came a few seconds later.

_Just bitch around_ Santana wrote and Rachel frowned. What was that supposed to mean?

_What do you mean?_ she typed back.

_Come on, Berry. Are you really that lame? Just bitch around and then they'll call your dads and beg them to take you back home. You'll probably be grounded for the rest of your life but at least you'd be back in the city _her best friend wrote. She was right. A giggle escaped Rachel's lips and she wanted to hug Santana this instant. Bitching around wouldn't be too hard since she was already in the right mood. Rachel was about to type a response when finally, finally the door opened. She quickly shoved the phone back into her pocket and when she looked up she saw a small, slightly plumper woman with a friendly face in jeans and a worn-out t-shirt.

"Hello. You must be Rachel" she said and a kind smile spread all over her face.

"Who else?" Rachel replied and tried to sound as annoyed as possible. Maybe Santana's plan would work out.

"Welcome" the woman said and gestured Rachel into the house. Dragging her suitcase behind her Rachel entered the house and was quite surprised when she realized how nice it looked in there. The floor was made out of light wood and big windows created a friendly and open atmosphere. On the right side, there was a big wooden staircase.

"I'm Carole" the woman said and extended a hand towards Rachel. For a moment Rachel debated whether she should take it or not but then she decided against it. After all, she wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Instead she just said "Rachel" between her teeth. She realized the hurt expression that flickered over Carole's face but before Rachel could take a closer look, she already smiled kindly again.

"Well, I guess you must be hungry" she said and a trace of uncertainty was hearable in her voice.

"I just want to be left alone and sleep" she replied sharply and this time she didn't dare looking at Carole. Actually, this wasn't like her at all. Sure, Rachel had caused some trouble in the past but she had never been an unfriendly person and this woman didn't deserve to be treated like this. A wave of guilt washed over her and she wished she hadn't said it like this but she wanted to go back to New York so badly.  
"But thank you for the offer" she said in a softer tone and hoped that it would moderate her previous sentence.

"Of course, that's perfectly understandable. Come on, I'll show you your room" Carole replied and Rachel followed her. They went upstairs and through a long hallway and then Carole opened a wooden door and let Rachel enter the room. This room was nothing like her room back in New York. The furniture was all wooden and on the walls there were photos of the farm and, to Rachel's surprise, of horses and even though it seemed so foreign, Rachel somehow thought that it looked nice. It was different but seemed comfy nonetheless and she was positive that maybe she'd be able to actually feel comfortable in here.

"Ok, then I'll leave you alone. I'm downstairs in case you need something" Carole said and then she left the room. With a sigh Rachel let herself fall on the bed and closed her eyes. She just needed a few minutes to herself.

* * *

Finn entered the house through the backdoor and found his mother in the kitchen. She was stirring in several pots and prepared dinner. Finn had brought Bennie back into the stables and now he was longing for a long, cold shower because he was sticky and sweaty and he was positive that he smelled worse than 500 horses.

"Hi, mom. Smells delicious" he said and joined her at the stove.

"Thanks, sweetie" Carole answered and Finn could hear that something was wrong. She sounded upset.

"What's up?" he asked concerned. Carole wiped her hands with a tissue and then turned around to face him.  
"Hiram and Leroy were right, she really is a though case" she said and smiled bravely. But Finn knew his mom and he knew when she was hurt.

"Rachel?" he asked and subconsciously clenched his hands. Anger boiled up inside him. He already didn't like this Rachel and now she had apparently done something which had hurt his mother. He swallowed a few times to cool his temper.

"What did she do?" he asked, a threatening tone in his voice.

"She's just a little…rough. But I think it'll work out, after all this is very new to her" Carole said and smiled apologetically but that couldn't calm Finn. Who did this Rachel think she was?

"I'll talk to her" he said through his teeth and ran up the stairs. No one was allowed to mess with his mom, after all she was one of the most generous people he knew.

"Be nice! Please, Finn" she yelled after him but Finn barely heard her. He was so ready to give Rachel Berry a piece of his mind.

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**So, how will Finn and Rachel's first meeting proceed? Stay tuned and find out :)**

**Reviews are love**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3 :)**

**Enjoy!**

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Finn ran up the stairs and down the hallway. When he stood in front if Rachel's door he hesitated for a moment and debated whether he should knock or just step in but then he decided for the latter because after all this was his house, so he was allowed to do whatever he wanted. He pushed open the door and his eyes wandered through the room. He didn't know what he had expected, maybe a tall girl with blonde hair and black clothing or something like that, but he definitely knew that he didn't expect THAT. On the bed sat, her knees pulled to her chest, a tiny, skinny girl with luscious, brown, curly hair. When she lifted her head to see who had entered the room, the entire power of two big, bright, chocolate brown eyes hit him and he gulped a few times, feeling the anger fading away and instead, a feeling of wanting to protect her spread inside him. Within a few seconds he realized several details of her face, her nose which was a little bit on the large side but suited her perfectly and her full, pink lips. She was beautiful, Finn couldn't deny that. But then her brows furrowed and her nose wrinkled and Finn snapped out of his trance.

"Do you know how to speak?" she asked and her tone sounded bitchy and annoyed and then Finn remembered why he was here and the anger made his blood boil all over again.

"Yes, actually. We have to talk" he said and slammed the door shut. He didn't know whether he should walk towards her or not but on the other hand she didn't make a move to walk to him either. So he just stayed where he was.

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm Rachel Berry" she said in a fake nice voice and then smiled at him. Finn was positive that her smile could be really pretty but that, that was just a nasty grin and it provoked him. She challenged him on purpose.

"Ok, you know what? I have no idea why you're acting the way you do but this is going to stop right now" he said and her face darkened. At least the nasty grin disappeared.

"Give me one good reason to stop" she said and glared at him. The intensity of her eyes threatened to make him lose his focus but he shook his head quickly and looked somewhere else. Damn brown eyes!

"Don't you have any respect? This is our house, our property and you're our guest. To me, you really have a strange way of saying thank you" Finn said and his voice became louder. He wouldn't let himself get intimidated by a tiny girl with a gorgeous face.

"Believe me, I'm not here voluntarily" she spat out and then she got up from the bed and for the first time, Finn noticed how tiny she really was. At least one foot shorter than he was but her legs were endless. They were muscular and tanned and sexy and…he was about to lose focus again.

"I know that but that's not an excuse. Whatever is going on between you and your dads, that's not my and especially not my mother's fault so stop treating us like this or at least her. Be mean all you want around me, I can deal with that but she can't. There are also vulnerable people, you know? People who are not as heartless and disrespectful as you and…" he said hotly and he felt the heat rushing through his body.

"You don't know a thing about me!" she said and this time she was yelling. And then, all of the sudden, her bitchy expression was gone and something else spread over her face. It almost looked like…like hurt. Finn blinked, irritated. If he wasn't mistaken, her eyes became wet and a sound slipped from her lips which almost sounded like a whimper but before Finn could take a closer look she had regained control of herself. He looked down at his feet, unsure what to do or to say. It unsettled him that he had made her cry, he always felt like a piece of shit whenever he made a girl cry but she wasn't completely innocent here.

"What do you want from me?" she asked finally, her tone much softer than before.

"I don't know. But I think an apology would be a good start" he said and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'll think about it. Would you please leave now?" she said and somehow Finn felt that she was close to tears.  
"Yeah. Dinner should be ready in a few minutes" he said and then he left the room.

* * *

As soon as Finn was gone Rachel broke down crying. She buried her face in her pillows to suppress her sobs. She didn't want anyone to know that she was crying. She was such an idiot! She felt bad for treating Carole and Finn so awfully and everything Finn had thrown at her had been nothing but right. She was being heartless and disrespectful. But it was just so damn hard and of course Finn didn't understand. He didn't know about her past, that she used to get drunk every night, that she had made out with more guys than she could count and finally that she had experienced something cruel in the East Village and that now she had to face the consequences of her mistakes. Her body was shaken by uncontrollable sobs and her make-up was floating down her cheeks. She had to accept it. She'd get past these three months somehow and if she had to stay here she at least wanted a friendly relationship with the Hudsons. Breathing heavily Rachel got up from the bed and started digging in her suitcase until she found her make-up bag. She pulled out some moist towelettes and removed the entire make-up she was wearing. Then she threw the bag back into her suitcase and buried it deep under her clothes. She wouldn't need it anymore, this was a farm and not New York. Next, she removed her jeans hotpants and the super skinny top and replaced them by some cotton shorts and a t-shirt which still showed off her body but wasn't too tight either. She breathed deeply in and out to calm her nerves and then she stepped out of the room and down the stairs.

When she was in the hallway she heard voices coming from a room she assumed was the kitchen. Finn and his mother were talking.

"Mom, she's a capital b bitch" she heard Finn saying and it felt like a little stab in her heart.

"Finn, I don't want to hear that. She'll get used to everything and then it'll get better" Carole replied.

"Mom, she…" Finn started again but Carole interrupted him.

"Stop it, Finn. I'm sure it wasn't that bad" she said and then Rachel heard Finn groaning in frustration. She pulled all her nerves together, swallowed thickly and then stepped into the room.

"He's right, Carole. I really did misbehave" she said and looked down at the floor. She felt her cheeks blushing and cursed mentally. Why on earth did she always have to get red? Carole and Finn turned towards her and while Carole smiled surprised, Finn's expression got darker every second.

"Rachel" Carole whispered.

"Listen, I want to apologize, to both of you. I wasn't exactly nice and I'm very sorry for acting like this. I hope you can forgive me" she said and looked up sheepishly, only to meet Carole's heartfelt, forgiving glance.

"Of course, sweetie. It was all a bit much, huh?" she said. Rachel nodded in relief and then she felt Carole pulling her in for a hug. First Rachel hesitated but then she placed her hands on the older woman's back and hugged her back.

"Well, then I'd say dinner is ready" Carole said when she pulled back. She turned around to place several pots on the table and Finn and Rachel exchanged a few looks, both of them not sure what they were supposed to mean.

"Oh, by the way, what I wanted to ask you, Rachel. Do you have any working clothes with you?" Carole asked and turned to Rachel once more.

"I don't think so" the girl replied and twisted her hands together.

"Ok, then I suggest Finn will drive you to town tomorrow and you're going to buy some" she said and looked at them. Not wanting to cause any more trouble Rachel nodded boldly even though she wasn't thrilled by the fact that Finn would accompany her. Finn looked at his mother aghast.  
"Mom…" he tried to protest but Carole shot him a warning glare.

"What? It's the perfect opportunity for you two to bond a little" she said, strangling his protest. Rachel looked at him apologetically but he just turned away.

* * *

The next morning they were sitting in Finn's truck on their way to the town, Springfield, and he acted like she wasn't there. Rachel wondered whether he always gripped the steering wheel this tightly because his knuckles had turned white. His gaze was glued to the road in front of them which gave Rachel the opportunity to look at him without getting caught. He definitely was too handsome for his own good. He was super tall and muscular and he had cute freckles spread all over the bridge of his nose. His eyes had a warm amber color and his brown hair was thick and Rachel imagined how it'd feel to bury her hands in there. Not that she wanted to, of course. When she looked away she caught a glimpse of the CDs that were placed in a small box beneath the radio and as far as she could judge it, all of them were Journey CDs. She looked at Finn surprised and she had to admit that it suited him. He was quite the type for classic rock.

"Do you like Journey?" she asked finally, breaking the awkward silence between them.

"Jup" Finn replied. He didn't turn around to face her but his voice didn't sound angry either. Well, at least this guy had a decent taste in music.

"They're great" Rachel said and hoped that he'd talk to her again.

"The CDs are my father's. He used to listen to them a lot before he died" Finn said finally.

"Oh, I'm so sorry" Rachel replied. She knew that she had hit a sensitive spot there but she wanted to keep this conversation up so badly.

"I'm trying, you know" she said finally. For the first time Finn's gaze left the road and he looked directly at her. His warm eyes sent chills down her spine and suddenly she was glad that she was sitting because he knees felt like jelly.

"Trying what?" he asked.

"I'm trying to make up for my misbehavior yesterday and I'm sorry, Finn. Really" she said. For a moment, the expression on his face was unreadable but then a hint of understanding grazed his features.

"Maybe my mom's right and I should give you a second chance. But never do that again. If you do, I swear I'll kick you out myself" he said. His lips turned up into a lopsided smile and Rachel felt her breath speeding up. It was the first time she saw him smiling and it made her heart beat super fast. What the heck was going on with her?

"Alright" she said and smiled in relief. Then Finn bent down and pulled one of the Journey CDs out of the box.

"Show me your favorite" he said and handed Rachel the CD. She smiled and placed it in the player. Then she chose the number and the sound of Faithfully filled the air. Finn sniggered.

"What?" Rachel asked and bit her lower lip.

"I had a feeling you'd pick this one. But it's alright, it's one of my favorites as well" he said and shot her another one of his lopsided smiles that made Rachel blush in all different kinds of red.

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**Please review and share your thoughts with me!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 :) Sorry, it turned out to be a rather short chapter**

* * *

Finn didn't know when he had decided to forgive her but for some reason he had believed her when she had told him that she was trying to make up for her behavior in the car and to be honest, he had had quite heavy pangs of conscience yesterday evening for yelling at her. Just now, when they had listened to Faithfully, she had looked pretty cute in his opinion. She had taped the beat with her foot and with her lips she had formed the lyrics as if she was silently singing along. Anyway, right now she was walking down the streets of Springfield next to him and once more he noticed how small she was. But before he could carry on thinking about Rachel he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"Hey, Hudson, wait up" someone said and then Finn recognized the person walking towards them. It was a fairly muscular guy with light blonde hair and huge lips, his former classmate from Springfield High, Sam Evans.

"Hey, Sam" Finn said and fist-bumped with him.

"Hey, how are you?" Sam asked and Finn noticed the sidelong glance he was throwing at Rachel, as if he was silently asking whether they were dating or not.

"Alright, I guess. Sam, that's Rachel, she just arrived yesterday and she's spending her summer at the farm" he said, emphasizing the yesterday to clarify that she wasn't his girlfriend.

"Cool. So, no college this summer?" Sam asked.

"Nah, I'll just stay here and help my mom and then we'll see. How about you?" Finn asked and a proud smile appeared on Sam's face.

"I'm going to Ohio State, football scholarship" he said and grinned.

"Wow, congratulations, man. You deserve it" Finn said and patted his shoulder appreciatively. It was true, Sam really deserved that. They used to be in the football team together and Finn knew that football meant the world to Sam. He had been the quarterback of their team and to say that he has worked off his ass to make their team win was an understatement.

"Thanks. So, I guess I'll see you around, man" he said and then walked past them.

"College?" Rachel asked and Finn turned around to face her. Once again his glance met her disarming chocolate eyes which clouded his brain every time. He really hoped that one day he'd develop some kind of immunity to them because he just couldn't lose his focus every time he looked into her eyes. It was just not normal.

"Yeah. I'm 18 and I graduated this year" he said and felt the heat creeping up in his face.

"So, no plans for college?" she asked. Finn had hoped that she wouldn't ask this question because he felt embarrassed whenever he had to admit that he had no idea what he wanted to do with his life.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to" she said. She seemed to feel his uneasiness because her eyes were full of understanding.

"It's ok. It's just…I don't know. Frankly, I have no idea what I'm good at" he said and looked at the ground bashfully.

"Hey, everybody's good at something. You just have to find it" she said and then Finn felt her tiny hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. It remained there for just a few moments but it was enough. An electric spark rushed right through his body and he wondered whther she felt it too. Rachel's cheeks turned red and then they kept on walking, both of them unsure what to say.

* * *

Finn was waiting for Rachel in front of one of the cabins. He knew that she didn't like these huge, waterproof outdoor pants because earlier she had wrinkled her nose at them when she had thought that Finn wasn't looking. But nonetheless they were necessary for working on the farm. No now he was sitting in front of the cabins waiting for Rachel to try on some of those pants. He was glad that this was the only shop in town that sold this kind of clothing because otherwise they'd probably have to check out different shops until Rachel found one. And to be honest, Finn hated shopping. He stared at the crème colored curtain in front of Rachel's cabin, rubbing his neck and occasionally checking his watch until he noticed that the curtain wasn't pulled shut completely and his glimpse landed directly on the mirror inside the cabin. He gulped and then he saw her. Rachel, with nothing on but a small top and her panties. Pink, lacy panties. Finn could see the naked flesh of her thighs and the sight of her endless legs drove him crazy. His palms became sweaty and a fascinating heat rushed through his body, ending in his lower area. No matter what, this girl was hot and seeing her in her panties was a huge turn on. He shifted his position to hide the bulge in his pants befire he turned around to breathe deeply and to cool down. It was creepy, the effect she had on him. Creepy and fascinating.

"How do I look?" her voice asked and Finn turned around slowly , praying that his dick wouldn't go all crazy again. There was Rachel, fully clothed with her top and a long pair of outdoor pants.

"G…great" Finn stammered but the only thing he could think of were the pink panties she wore beneath these trousers.

"Seriously? These pants are huge" she said and tugged at the sides of it.

"Yeah, but you'll need them" he said.

"Ok, then I'll take these one" she said resigning and went back into the cabin. Luckily, she closed the curtain properly this time.

* * *

"Mom, we're back" Finn yelled and put his keys on the board in the hallway. Carole appeared around the corner of the kitchen and smiled at them. She was glad to see more or less content expressions on both Finn and Rachel's faces after their rocky start yesterday.

"Good. This morning I took the horses out on the meadow. Do you want to take them back in?" she asked and Rachel's mouth fell open.

"Horses?" she asked and Finn noticed the pretty sparkling in her eyes.

"Yes. We have five horses" he answered and Rachel squealed in excitement.

"So, I guess you like horses?" he said and smiled at her.  
"Who doesn't?" she replied.

"Then, let's go" Finn said and they were already heading for the back door when Carole called Finn's name once more.

"Finn, be careful because of Luna" she said.

"Sure, mom" he called back. Then he and Rachel crossed the backyard of the house and entered the stables and Rachel couldn't help it, a wide, happy smile appeared on her face. She'd never been in a real horse stable. How could she, there were no horses in new York, aside from those who pulled the horse carriages in Central Park but Rachel thought that that was just plain animal cruelty. The unmistakable scent of horses was hovering in the air and Rachel breathed in deeply. To her, it was one of the best scents in the world even though she knew that a part of it was…well, horse shit.

"Do you know riding?" Finn asked and smiled contently. He seemed totally at peace in here.

"I wish I could" Rachel answered. Then she followed him into a small room which was definitely the tack room. It smelled like leather in here and all different kinds of saddles and bridles hung up at the wall. Finn took five halters and leading ropes.

"Come on, I'll show you how to halter a horse" he said and then she followed him back into the stables and through a big gate and what she saw next, took her breath away. She was looking at a gigantic meadow with luscious green grass and five fairly tall horses. Behind the meadow there were the golden cornfields again and in the clear, blue sky the sun shine brightly.

"This is beautiful" she whispered.

"It is, isn't it?" he replied. Then Rachel noticed the black horse which was walking towards them slowly. It huffed lightly and then nudged Finn's side as if it was expecting something. Finn patted its neck and held his hands beneath its nostrils.

"Rachel, this is Bennie, my horse" he said.

"He's pretty" Rachel said and then extended her hand towards the horse. Bennie lifted his head interested and let Rachel stroke his nose. She was surprised how soft the nostrils were.

"You're a good guy, right?" she said and the horse blew some hot air into her palm.

"He is" Finn replied and Rachel could hear the pride in his voice.

"Ok, Rachel. Look, this is how you halter a horse" her said and Rachel nodded attentively. Then she watched Finn closely, how he placed the halter around the head of the horse with a few swift motions.

"Alright?" he asked and Rachel nodded again. Then he handed her three halters and leading ropes.

"Ok, I'll take Bennie inside. You can halter these three horses, Cinna, Lucky and Dancer" he pointed at the horses " but stay away from her" he said and motioned at a brown horse which stood pretty far away from them. She was beautiful, probably the most beautiful among them. Her brown fur sparkled in the sunlight and she had a noble blaze on her forehead.

"Is that Luna?" Rachel asked and she remembered what Carole told them previously.

"Jap. She's a little…complicated. She doesn't like being touched, let alone being ridden, she's shy and she freaks out rather quickly. Sometimes she bites and kicks too" Finn replied and Rachel understood why Carole had told them to be careful. Then Finn took Bennie back into the stabled and Rachel crossed the meadow, aiming at a white horse with brown spots, Lucky. The horse lifted its head and stared at Rachel with big, brown eyes.

"Hello, beautiful" she said and let her hand glide over the light brown mane. Then she took the halter and pulled over the head of the horse, just how Finn had showed her and she was pretty grateful that Lucky stood still and didn't prance around. Then Rachel smacked her tongue and the mare followed her back into the stables. Halfway she met Finn who flashed her one of his lopsided grins.

"Already haltering like a pro, huh?" he said and winked as he passed her and Rachel blushed. She brought Lucky into her stable and walked back out on the meadow. And what she saw next, let her blood freeze. She felt like in a bad horror movie and the seconds passed in slow motion as she saw the brown mare, Luna, riding up in front of Finn and hitting his head with one of her hooves. Finn's tall body slumped together and fell to the ground, a wordless scream escaping Rachel's mouth.

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**And as always: Please review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! I'm sorry for not updating in the past few days but I had a lot of stuff going on. So anyway, here's a new chapter :) Thank you for your reviews and support, it means a lot to me!**

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She wanted to run but the ground wouldn't release her feet. It was like they were frozen as she looked at the scene in front of her in shock. It took a little while until her brain had processed it and she realized what had actually happened. Finn still laid on the ground and didn't move and the mare next to him still had her ears pushed back and looked so ready to kill everyone who dared come near her. Rachel knew that she had to help him but she didn't know what to do. For a moment she thought about just going inside and getting Carole but that wasn't an option because she couldn't leave Finn alone with Luna. God knew what else the horse would do to him, so there was only one option left. She had to halter and bring the mare inside herself and then she had to get Carole and a doctor. Rachel's hands were shaking and her knees felt like they were about to give in but there was no other possibility, she had to do it. Cold sweat covered her forehead and she desperately tried to breathe deeply in order to calm herself. Then she started walking towards Finn slowly, her gaze fixated on the horse. She tried to avoid any hectic movements to prevent her from freaking out. Luna just stood there and glared at her and if Rachel wasn't mistaken she was baring her teeth a little but Rachel wasn't allowed to think about that right now. She had to help Finn. When she reached them she looked at him and from what she saw he didn't have any severe injuries. There was no blood and everything she noticed was a heavy bruise on his forehead. She bent down and was relieved when she noticed that he was still breathing. She took his wrist and felt for his pulse. It was there and it was steady.

"Finn, Finn, can you hear me?" she asked and slapped his cheek gently but Finn didn't move. His eyes remained closed and his pale face expressionless. For a moment Rachel allowed herself to stare at him. He looked like a harmless, sleeping giant and subconsciously Rachel ran a hand over his cheek. He looked so cute with his freckles and his very kissable, slightly parted lips but then Rachel mentally slapped herself. She couldn't think about him this way and certainly not under the current circumstances. She got up quickly and faced the other problem she had to deal with. The horse. A sigh of relief left her mouth when she realized that Luna's ears weren't pushed back anymore and instead they were steeply erect. In fact, the mare now looked rather alert than angry. She held her head up high and her big eyes stared at Rachel alarmed. Rachel bent down and picked the halter up from the grass, then she took a careful step towards Luna. She tried to swallow her fear and to make her hands stop shivering. Slowly and hesitantly she extended a hand towards her, always ready to pull it back quickly. _She's complicated. She bites and kicks_…Rachel remembered Finn's warning but she stepped even closer though. But then the mare winced and backed away a few steps, eyeing Rachel suspiciously.

"Shh, stay calm" she whispered and miraculously Luna lowered her head, almost as if she relaxed a little. And then Rachel touched the soft, velvety, dark brown fur of the mare. She stroked her a few times to signalize her that she wasn't about to harm her and silently prayed that the horse wouldn't freak out and kick her or something.

"You're a pretty girl, you know that, right?" Rachel said and Luna emit a noise which almost sounded like a content huff. Then Rachel took the halter and surprisingly Luna stood still. She stood still and let Rachel put the halter around her head.

"Good girl" cooed Rachel and patted her neck in appreciation. Luna looked at her for a moment with her knowing eyes and then she moved her head towards Rachel. The girl froze. She wasn't going to bite her, was she? But then, the only thing she felt was the soft fur of Luna's nostrils and her warm breathing on the skin of her arm. The horse nuzzled its nose into Rachel's armpit. She patted her neck again but Rachel knew that she didn't have time to snuggle with a horse right now. She needed to get Carole and she needed to get her fast.

"Listen, Luna. I can't snuggle with you right now. I have to bring you inside because you kicked Finn which was really mean, by the way" she said and glared at her sternly. Somehow she felt stupid for talking to a horse but she had y feeling that Luna actually understood her. She started walking towards the stabled and indeed, the horse followed her. Rachel felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of her heart. With steady steps she marched across the meadow and when she had Luna behind lock and latch again, she ran over to the house as quickly as possible, bursting into the kitchen were Carole was mopping the floor.

"Rachel, darling, what…" the older woman started but Rachel interrupted her quickly.

"Carole, you need to come over to the stables. It's Finn. He tried to halter Luna but the she rode up in front of him and she kicked him and now he's unconscious" she said, panting heavily.

"Oh God" said Carole and clasped a hand over her mouth. Then she grabbed her cell phone from the kitchen counter and followed Rachel.

"How did that happen?" she asked and Rachel heard the she was close to crying.

"I don't know. I just saw her riding up and kicking him. I don't know why" Rachel said and pushed the door of the stables open.

"I better call a doctor" Carole said and dialed a number. Then she pressed the phone to her ear and started speaking in hectic.

* * *

Rachel and Carole kneeled besides Finn and waited for the doctor to arrive. Finn's head was placed in Carole's lap and Rachel felt slightly uncomfortable because she didn't know what to do. She wanted to comfort Carole who was crying by now but she didn't know how and she was scared as hell herself. For some reason it hurt her to see Finn like this and she wanted him to be ok so badly.

"How did you get Luna into the stables?" Carole asked after a while.

"I don't know. I just haltered her the way Finn showed me and somehow it worked. She didn't try to bite or kick me or something like that" she replied.

"That's strange. Don't get me wrong, I trust you and everything but that's a very un-Luna-like behavior" Carole answered.

"I know. Finn told me that she was difficult" Rachel said.

"Oh yeah" replied Carole with a heavy sigh. Then she ran a hand over her son's bruised forehead and fresh tears made their way down her cheeks.

* * *

A pounding, that was the first thing Finn felt. It was like waking up but with a terrible headache. He blinked a few times and it took a few moments until his eyes were able to create a sharp image. He was laying on the sofa in his living room. How did he get there? The last thing he remembered was the meadow and how he had tried to halter Luna. He remembered her freaking out and then an indescribable pain and then…nothing. This was where his memory stopped. He tried to remember what happened after that but the more he thought about the more his head hurt so he gave up on it quickly. The next thing he felt was the hug of his mother.

"Finn, I was so scared" she said, tears running down her cheeks and Finn felt her squeezing him tightly. Maybe a little too tight.

"Mom, you strangling me" he said and rubbed her back.

"Sorry" she said and let go of him, a relieved smile on her face. Then Finn looked around and noticed Rachel a few feet away from him and smiling at him bashfully and then the doctor who stood next to his mother.

"Mr Hudson, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Alright, I guess. Aside from the headache" Finn said and placed his hand on his forehead. Then the doctor pulled out a little flashlight.

"Look at finger. I need to test your pupil reflex" he said and Finn looked at the index finger of the doctor.

"Ok, the reflex is alright. So let's check your memory. What's your name?" he asked.

"Finn Hudson"

"How old are you?"

"18"

"Which state are we in?"

"Nebraska, United States of America"

"Who's this?" The doctor pointed at Carole and Rachel.

"This is my mom, Carole Hudson and this is Rachel Berry"

"What's the name of the horse that kicked you?"

"Luna"

"Ok, it looks like you've been really lucky. Your breathing, heart beat and pulse is alright and other than that there's nothing unusual either. I'd say you got away with a heavy bruise and a minor concussion" the doctor finished his examination.

"What does mean?" Finn asked in confusion.

"Nothing too bad happened. I recommend you to stay in bed and rest at least until tomorrow, then it should be alright again. But if you start feeling something else like nausea or if the headaches gets worse I need you to call me again" the doctor said.

"Alright, thank you" Carole said and then she left the room along with the doctor, leaving Finn and Rachel alone.

"That was quite a scare, huh?" she said and Finn smiled when he looked into her chocolate brown eyes. He patted the space next to him on the sofa and Rachel said down. He couldn't but silently marvel over the fact that her ass was pressed against his stomach. And then thoughts of this morning and her lace panties entered his mind and…oh God, he really should just quit thinking altogether. So instead he focused on her warm eyes which were full of relief and Finn swore that he could see a hint of affection in there as well.

"Yeah, it was" he replied and then she stared right back at him. Normally he would look away in shame right now because she totally just caught him staring but he couldn't tear his gaze away.  
"What are you thinking right now?" she asked and then he felt her tiny hand on his arm. There was it again, the electric feeling whenever she touched him.

"Right now I'm thinking that you have super pretty eyes" he said and moved his arm to take her hand in his. They fit perfectly, even though hers was like an XXS version and he had a huge paw. And then, as if they were magnets, her face moved closer to his and closer and closer and…

"Finn, we should move you upstairs. You heard what the doctor said, bed rest" the voice of his mother said and Finn groaned frustrated. As if it was on fire, Rachel let go of his hand and got up from the sofa, her face blushing deeply and then Carole entered the room.

"I…I'll go upstairs. Call me in case you need any help, Carole" Rachel excused herself and then quickly rushed out of the room. Finn stared after her, totally dumbfounded by what probably would've happened if his mother hadn't entered the room.

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	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, here's a new chapter :) I'm having a hard time finding titles for the chapters, so I just removed the names and got back to naming them Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, etc. I find it easier this way. But don't worry, the content is still the same, of course :)**

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Days passed by but Finn and Rachel never talked about their almost-kiss. The mood between them was alright, they were always helping each other out and stuff like that but there was also a constant, awkward vibe which just wouldn't disappear. As if there were certain, unspoken feelings between them which no one dared to bring up. They always stole glances from one another and stared whenever they thought that the other one wasn't looking. Rachel kept telling herself that she had just lost control over herself when she had moved in to kiss Finn but deep down she knew that that wasn't true. She had moved in because she had actually wanted to kiss Finn but she also knew that she couldn't do that. She liked Finn genuinely and he was a great guy but she was insecure because she didn't know whether he had any feelings towards her. Heck, she didn't even know whether she had any feelings towards him. She just knew that something was different from every other guy she'd ever met before.

By now Rachel already had pretty much settled down at the farm, she got along with Carole wonderfully and she even had a few tasks she had to fulfill every day. Most of them had something to do with the horses, for example she had to take care of feeding them and cleaning their stables but she also had a few smaller jobs inside the house.

Right now Rachel was in Luna's stable and scooped the dirty straw up with a pitchfork. She didn't mind cleaning the stables because to be honest, she was very taken by the horses. Behind herself she heard a small huff and then she felt a hot breath on her neck. She turned around smiling and stroked the nostrils of the brown mare. She wasn't scared of Luna anymore even though the shock of Finn being hit by her still stuck in her very bones. But she felt a special connection to the horse and Luna had never tried to kick or bite her, she could stroke her all she wanted and Luna seemed to enjoy it. Rachel couldn't explain it also Finn and Carole were beyond surprised by her strange behavior.

"Yes, sweetie. You are a good girl" said Rachel and continued stroking her white blaze. Luna relaxed and closed her eyes and Rachel carefully leaned against the side of the horse, feeling the soft vibration of her body and the steady beating of a heavy, thumping heart.

"She likes you" Rachel heard a very familiar voice say. A smile grazed her features and then she spotted Finn, leaning against the wall and flashing her his signature half-smile.

"I can tell" she replied but then she felt Luna's body tensing and her ears slowly pushing backwards. Suddenly the smile on Finn's turned into a frown.

"Sh, baby. It's just Finn. He won't do anything" she said stroking her head reassuringly and pressed a feather light kiss to her nose.

"I don't get it" Finn said and Rachel turned around to face him again.

"What?" she asked, still fondling the horse.

"You know, Mom and I have tried for so long to make her change her behavior and it never worked. And now you come here, never even touched a horse in real life, and it works" he said, shaking his head. Rachel felt the blood crawling up in her cheeks.

"Maybe I'm some kind of horse whisperer" she said and Finn smiled at her again.  
"I wouldn't doubt it. You're great with horses. You have like a natural calmness that you subconsciously pass on to them" he said and Rachel blushed even more.

"Thank you" she said and ducked her head, her voice sounding like the one of a little girl.

"Just telling the truth. Oh, by the way, I came here to tell you that mom left about an hour ago because she went into town but she made lunch for us and if you're hungry we could go over to the house and eat" he said.

"Ok, I'll just finish cleaning the stables. I' done with all of them except for Dancer's" she said and smiled. Finn nodded and then he grabbed the wheelbarrow which was parked in front of Luna's stable.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Rachel said.

"I'll help you. I'm going over to the barn and get some fresh straw" he said and showed her the lopsided grin she loved so much.

* * *

Finn filled the wheelbarrow up with straw. He loved the scent if it and it always reminded him of his childhood, when he had played in the straw without a care in the world. Their barn was huge and filled with countless bales of hay and straw. It was always very warm in here and while it was extremely cozy in winter, in summer it was just gross. Finn quickly wheeled the full wheelbarrow back into the stables and saw that Rachel had moved on with Dancer's stable. The light brown stallion stood there, total relaxed and chewing on a handful of hay. Rachel had turned her back towards him and was completely focused on her work. With a grin and without a single sound Finn placed the wheelbarrow on the ground and then carefully took a handful of straw. He snuck up behind Rachel and when he stood directly behind her he dropped the straw slowly on her head.

"It's snowing" he said sniggering and Rachel jumped a little in surprise. She turned around and her hand came up to her head, feeling the soft straw there. She shot him a playful glare and Finn found that she looked unbearably cute with the straw flakes spread all over her gorgeous brown curls, her hands placed on her hips and her lips tugged into a mischievous grin.

"Finn Hudson" she grumbled in fake anger and bent down to grab some straw herself. But Finn was faster. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up, causing Rachel to drop the straw and starting to laugh uncontrollably. Finn couldn't help but laugh along with her because her laughter was infectious and one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

"Finn, let me down" she squealed and tried to wiggle herself free. Finn sniggered and placed her back on her feet.

"You're mean" she said and pouted but by the sparkle in her eyes Finn could tell that she was suppressing a smile.

"I know" he replied and then he extended a hand and tucked one of her loose hair strands behind her ear. Rachel looked up at him through her lashes and there it was again, the feeling of being pulled towards her. But before he could do anything he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.

"What…" he said and pulled his hand back. Rachel cleared her throat and Finn pulled the phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?" he said.  
"Hey, Finn. It's me, Sam. Are you free tonight?" he heard Sam Evans asking.

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, we'll meet up at Mike's at 8 tonight, a little celebrating and stuff like that" he said.

"Who's coming?" Finn asked. He didn't know whether he wanted to go because on one hand he wanted to stay at home but on the other hand…seeing his friends couldn't harm either.

"Me, Rory, Blaine… the usual people" Sam replied.

"Alright, I'll be there" he said and was about to hang up when Sam spoke once more.

"Oh, and Finn? You're very welcome to bring this hot little girl who's staying at your house" he said and Finn could hear him sniggering.  
"You mean Rachel" he growled and clenched his fist. Somehow he didn't like it at all that Sam called Rachel "hot". Not that Rachel wasn't hot because to be honest, Finn thought that she was sexy as hell but he didn't like Sam calling her that.

"Exactly. So, see you guys tonight" Sam said and then the line went dead. Finn shoved his phone back into his pockets and took a deep breath.

"What's up?" Rachel asked, her beautiful eyes full of concern.

"Are you up for a little celebrating tonight?" he asked.

"Well, it depends. But why are you so mad?" she asked. For a moment Finn debated whether he should tell her that Sam just referred to her as "hot" but then he decided against it because he didn't want to scare her away.

"Nothing. Anyway, I'm meeting up with some friends at a bar tonight and you're very welcome to come along" he said and then the smile returned to his face. After all, Sam found every second girl that crossed his way hot so maybe he was just overreacting.

"Only if that's ok with you" she said, still not looking fully convinced.

"Of course. I'd be happy if you'd accompany me" he said and he was so glad to see the irresistible smile returning to her face.

"Ok, then I'd love to come with you. Where are we going?" she asked.

"Oh, a friend of mine, Mike, owns a bar down in Springfield. We'll meet up there tonight" he said and he saw her smile faltering a little.

"A bar…" she whispered.

"Yeah. Don't you like bars?" he asked and Rachel shock her head a little.  
"I…I'm a little bit scared to be honest" she said and looked to the ground in shame.

"What are you scared of?" he asked, deeply concerned.  
"I just…you know, I'm small and I can't really defend myself and…I'm not much of a fan of alcohol either" she said. Finn didn't think, he just acted. He grabbed her chin and lifted her head up, forcing her to look him straight in the eyes.

"I'll protect you, of course I will. And if it'd make you more comfortable, I won't drink anything" he said.

"You'd do that for me?" she whispered.

"Of course. But I don't think that alcohol will be much of a problem. It isn't our thing" he replied and with that, Rachel looked a little more relaxed.

* * *

The place looked quite nice. It was true, Rachel really was afraid of bars and discos and ever since _the event_ she had avoided them like the plague. But this bar wasn't like all the other bars she knew. She was used to shabby New York City bars with drunk people everywhere but here it looked completely different. On the red velvety sofas sat people who looked fairly sober and on the dance floor there were people who just happily danced the night away. No one was laying in the corner of the room puking his or her guts out, which was a picture Rachel usually related with bars. The barkeeper and owner of the bar was a cool Asian guy named Mike who was a friend of Finn. Altogether they were a group of eight people, Rachel, Finn, Sam, a boy named Rory whose parents were from Ireland, a very nice guy named Blaine, Mike and his girlfriend Tina and Tina's best friend Mercedes.

"So, guys, this is Rachel" Finn said and introduced Rachel to his friends. They all greeted her and Rachel instantly started a conversation with Tina who was a bit shy but nice nevertheless. Just like Finn, Tina had graduated from High School this year. She got accepted into Harvard and wanted to become a doctor. But soon, Mike came up to them and asked Tina to dance and Rachel realized that everybody else had left for the dance floor too. Everybody except for Finn. He sat on a sofa across from her, nipping at a glass of coke. Rachel felt her heart starting to flutter and for the first time she realized how handsome he looked in his black jeans and the plaid button down shirt. She flashed him a shy smile and when he smiled back, she swore that her heart stopped a little before it started racing again with a million miles per minute. Not to mention the butterflies that fluttered around in her stomach.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked shyly and she could see the uneasiness that formed on his face. But before he could reply, Rachel heard another voice.

"Not much of a chance with Hudson. He doesn't dance because he insists that he has two left feet. But I'd love to dance with you, honey" Sam Evans said and Rachel bluntly stared at the hand the blonde guy extended towards her, biting her lip nervously.

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**Please review and stay tuned!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Huh, what is that? YYYEEESSS, it's an update! I'm so, so sorry that I couldn't update in the past few weeks and I want to thank those who are still sticking with this story. Your reviews are amazing and they really mean a lot to me. **

**So, here's chapter 7. Enjoy!**

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Rachel didn't know what to do. She didn't want to hurt Sam's feelings by rejecting his invitation but she also felt bad because Finn didn't really have the chance to accept or decline her offer to dance. Sam stared at her with his emerald green eyes, still holding out his hand and Rachel automatically lowered her head and looked at her feet.

"Come on, Rachel. It's just one dance" he said and flashed her a smile. It was warm and open and Sam really looked like a decent guy but somehow his smile didn't have the same effect on her as the cute, lopsided grin of a certain someone who was currently staring into his glass to avoid her gaze. Rachel wanted Finn to look at her. She wanted him to tell her whether he wanted to dance with her or not but there was no movement in Finn's face. He looked as if he didn't have anything to do with it and Rachel figured that apparently he didn't want to dance with her because otherwise he would've said something, wouldn't he? Her glance fell back on Sam's extended hand and with a sigh she placed her much smaller hand in his. A little dance never harmed anybody, right?

"Thank you" Sam said and closed his fingers around hers. His hand was warm and gentle and Rachel found herself pretty much enjoying the feeling. He pulled her over to the dance floor and a soft tune reached her ears. The entire atmosphere had changed. Now there wasn't the usual upbeat dance music anymore, it was a slow song and the light was dim. Sam placed his hands on her hips and she hesitated for a moment before she locked her hands around his neck. To be honest, Rachel felt sort of uncomfortable to be this close to someone she barely knew but leaving him on the dance floor now would be downright rude.

"So, Rachel, tell me something about you" he said and started swaying. Even though they didn't move that much Rachel felt that Sam could dance and had a sense for rhythm which impressed her.

"Well, what do you want to know?" she asked, glad that he started a conversation.

"Everything. Just tell me about yourself. Where do you come from, what you like, stuff like that" he said and smiled at her again.  
"Ok, so I'm New York born and raised and I'm so happy to be able to call myself a real New Yorker because it just love it there. I'm going to be a senior in High School when the summer is over and in my free time, I don't know. I usually just hang around with friends or something like that" she said and finally looked up at Sam. His full lips were pulled up into a smile again and Rachel couldn't help but smile in return. This time, her gaze fell directly into his eyes and she found herself wishing that they were amber instead of green.

"Lor menari" he suddenly said and Rachel gave him a puzzled look before she realized what he had just said.

"Thank you" she replied and felt her cheeks blushing.

"Wow, Rachel. You're the first girl who doesn't give me this what-the-hell look after I said this line. I'm impressed." He chuckled slightly and squeezed Rachel's hip affectionately. She wasn't sure whether she liked this intimate touch or not.  
"You said I'm the first girl who understood it. So you say this to many other girls too?" Rachel asked carefully.

"Only the ones I like" Sam said and smirked. Rachel looked down on the ground again and now she felt _really_ uncomfortable because Sam had just declared that he was attracted to her and she didn't know how to deal with it.

"Well, Avatar is definitely a great movie" she said, desperate to overcome the awkward situation. Luckily Sam's face lit up almost instantly.

"It's my favorite movie ever. I went to the cinema at least six times and I saw it countless times on DVD" he rambled and excitement was visible all over his face.

"Ok, I can't keep up with that. I saw it maybe two or three times on DVD but that's it" she said, then they fell back into their somewhat embarrassing silence, both of them unsure what to say next. They continued swaying to the beat until the song was over and then Rachel felt a light tapping on her shoulder.

"Rachel?" a familiar voice said. She turned around and was shocked when she saw the hurt and painful expression in Finn's eyes. He looked like a kicked puppy and all she wanted to do was hug him and bring his adorable smile back.

"Yeah?" she said.

"We have to go. I still have some stuff to do at home and…we just have to go" he said and looked at her with pleading eyes. Rachel silently wondered what the cause of his sudden sadness was.

"Ok. Well, I guess I'll see you around, Sam" she said and was about to walk away with Finn when she felt Sam grabbing her wrist once more.

"Rachel, wait. I just…umm…I wanted to ask you whether you'd like to go out some time. You know, with me" he rambled and ran a hand through his golden blonde hair, obviously nervous.

"I…I'll think about it, ok? Have a good night, Sam" Rachel replied and then she walked next to Finn out of the bar.

* * *

Finn slammed his fist into his pillow and felt like screaming. He was mad, so mad and at the same time he felt like crying. And the worst part was that he didn't even know why. Damn Sam! He wanted to punch him square across the face and he felt somewhat betrayed because he had thought that Sam was his friend and now he had stolen his girl but then again Rachel wasn't even his girl. So technically Sam had done nothing wrong and Finn had no right to be mad but he was just so fucking jealous. Screw his genes! It wasn't his fault that he had no dancing bone in his body and that he would probably have ruined her precious toes if he had gotten the chance to dance with her. Finn let out a frustrated huff and let himself fall onto his bed, rubbing his neck anxiously. Was he in love with Rachel? Maybe. He definitely liked her very much, probably more than he should. And there was a mean little devil somewhere in the hidden corners of his brain that kept telling him that maybe it was for the best. Rachel was only here for the summer holidays and nearly a month was already over which meant that in two months she'd go back to New York and he'd most likely never see her again. Starting a relationship with her would be beyond difficult. But on the other hand…wasn't life always difficult? _No_ he thought _I can't try something with her, no matter how beautiful, gorgeous and cute she is. _

* * *

She knew that Finn was avoiding her. Days passed by and she just knew that he tried to stay out of her way. At breakfast he didn't look at her and he never waited for her when they had to do their jobs in the stables. In the evening he usually disappeared in his room after dinner and he never once talked to her, aside from "good morning" and "good night". She missed him. She wanted to talk to him so badly and just wanted things to be normal again but he never gave her a chance. She knew that he sometimes stared at her because she had caught him more than once and it bothered her that he never said a word. It was like there was a thick wall of bricks between them and she didn't know how to break through it. And she couldn't get rid of the feeling that it had something to do with her dance with Sam the other night. But god, it had been just a dance, right? A harmless, innocent dance. Why was Finn so pissed about this? For a brief moment Rachel thought that he liked her maybe just as much as she liked him but then she shook the thought out of her head again quickly.

Today the temperature was surprisingly agreeable. The sun was still shining but it was cooler than usual and it was a nice change from the always present heat. Rachel sat in Luna's stable and combed the mane of the horse. The mare made some buzzing noises, her eyes half-closed. Rachel felt that she was becoming more and more attached to her and it hurt her that she'd have to leave her in a little over two month. Her dads would never allow her to have a horse, let alone buy one. And Luna was a noble thoroughbred, she probably cost an entire fortune. But still, she loved this horse and it always relaxed her to be around her. When she was done with Luna's mane she stepped out of the stable and startled when she saw none other than Finn standing in front of her. He seemed to be surprised too because he winced and was about to turn around quickly but this time Rachel wasn't having it.

"Hey, Finn" she said and tried to sound as strong as possible.  
"What?" he spat out and Rachel almost whimpered at his harsh tone.

"Don't you think you at least owe me an explanation?" she said.

"I wouldn't know what for" he replied and Rachel saw it. She saw the hurt in his eyes and…the longing.

"I don't know, maybe because you keep ignoring me for basically no reason. I thought we were friends" she said.

"Friends?" he repeated and laughed bitterly.

"Yes" she murmured.

"We aren't friends, Rachel. You're just a girl who stays at my home for her summer vacation and that's it" he said and shrugged. Rachel clenched her small fists and tried to fight the tears that threatened to fall. Her cheeks started burning and her throat felt completely dry.

"So...so, the other day, when we almost kissed, it was nothing?" she said in a broken voice.

"Exactly. It was nothing" he said and then he turned around, leaving her alone with the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

* * *

He was an asshole. Finn ran over to the house and locked himself in his room again before he sunk down on the bed and hot, frustrated tears made their way down his cheeks. He knew that it wasn't manly or something to cry but right now he didn't care. He was a huge, fucked up asshole. He had made Rachel cry and the guilt he felt because of it was beyond words. He had thought that maybe it'd be the best for both of them if he'd push her away and end their romance/friendship/whatsoever by making her believe that he didn't like her anymore. He had thought that it'd make the goodbye which was about to come eventually easier for both of them but it wasn't. The moment she had started crying he had known that he'd made a mistake. A huge mistake.

A few hours later, he didn't know exactly how many, Finn stepped out of his room again to get himself a glass of water in the kitchen. He walked down the stairs but stopped halfway when he saw Rachel in the hallway. She looked stunning. She wore a light blue dress that ended just above her knee and her hair was put back into a cute side bun. The white heels made her legs look even longer than usual and Finn gulped. What was that for?

"Where are you going?" he asked bluntly before he could control his mouth and he wished that he could lock the words back in. She looked at him, her big doe eyes full of pain and confusion.

"Not that it's any of your business but I have a date. With Sam" she said.

* * *

**Please review and don't worry, Finchel will be together soon ;)**


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